Building construction and expansion joint therefor



July 18, 1967 R. D. WASHAM BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION JOINT THEREFOR Filed July 6, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fae.

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INVENTOR. ROSS D. WASHAM BY X2552 ZWZZZQJ ATTORNEYS July 18, 1967 R. D. WASHAM 3,331,176

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION JOINT THEREFOR Filed July 6, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .i 1 574 F I G. 4

INVENTOR ROSS D. WASHAM A 7' TOR/VEKS' United States Patent 3,331,176 BUILDING CONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION JOINT THEREFOR Ross D. Washam, Dallas, Tex., assignor to Penn Metal Company, Inc., Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 6, 1965, Ser. No. 469,537 Claims. (Cl. 52371) This invention relates to building constructions and expansion joints therefor. While it is particularly useful in exterior walls of buildings, it is also adapted for use in exterior ceilings and in interior walls and ceilings.

One problem in surfacing walls and ceilings with coating materials such as stucco, marblecrete, magnesium plaster, common plaster and other materials of the type usually supported by lathing is the subsequent cracking thereof caused by initial drying and by subsequent variations in temperature and humidity.

While one piece expansion joints of the type shown in US. Patent 3,015,194 have been found to be useful in.

preventing cracks in interior walls and ceilings, they do not provide suflicient expansion and contraction to prevent all cracking in some types of exterior walls, especially the types which use stucco, marblecrete or heavy aggregate coatings where excessive expansion and contraction occur.

This invention overcomes the problem with a novel building construction and expansion joint which provide gaps across the face of the finished coating extending through the entire thickness thereof to provide interrupted sections which may expand and contract independently, which expansion joint permits easy and independent adjustment of the widths of the gaps while still maintaining the integrity of the shield against moisture. Various architectural effects may be provided by varying the Width of the gaps between diiferent sections and the width of the gaps may also be increased or decreased depending upon the coating materials used and the variations of temperature encountered in the locality where the building is erected. The new joint and building construction are equally suitable for use in exterior and interior Walls and ceilings.

As used herein the word plaster includes coating materials such as stucco, magnesium plaster, common plaster and other coatings of the type usually supported by lathing, framing, or other supporting members.

One object of this invention is to provide a building construction and an expansion joint therefor which prevents cracking of plaster during variations in temperature in exterior walls and ceilings as well as in interior walls and ceilings.

Another object is to provide a building construction and an expansion joint therefor in which the size of the gap between two spaced elements of the joint may be adjusted between wide ranges during installation thereof.

A still further object is to provide an expansion joint for buildings which is economical to manufacture and to install.

A yet further object is to provide an expansion joint for buildings which may be used with metal lath, gypsum lath, fibre lath, wire lath and with supporting structures of framing, cement blocks, wood, metal and combinations thereof.

A still further object is to provide a building construction and an expansion joint for buildings which maintain the integrity of the weather shield while still permitting variations of the widths of the gaps between the plaster sections over wide ranges.

Although the teachings of this invention which are believed to be novel are set forth in the appended claims,

details as to the building construction and the expansion joint in preferred embodiments, as well as further objects and advantages will be apparent to persons skilled in the art by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ceiling construction viewed from below prior to application of the plaster, said view includes two sections of lathing assembled with one embodiment of expansion joint embodying this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section of the ceiling construction of FIG. 1 but also showing two sections of plaster in place.

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the embodiment of expansion joint shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 prior to assembly with the lathing and plaster.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section taken through a cement block wall having a second embodiment of expansion joint assembled therewith.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section of the portion of the wall of FIG. 4 where the expansion joint is installed.

' FIG. 6 is a section of a third embodiment of the expansion joint embodying this invention.

The ceiling construction of FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises two sections of expanded metal lathing, 10 and 11, which are secured to the frame of the building by any suitable means such as by wires and steel channel members (not shown).

The expansion joint comprises a first elongated integral strip 20 and a'second elongated integral strip 40, each made of suitable material such as galvanized steel or the like.

The first strip 20 comprises a first substantially flat portion 21 having a first side which is closer to the plane of the lathing and a second side which is further away from the plane of the lathing. The second portion 24 has a first side which is joined to the first side of the first element by a longitudinal fold 25 extending the length of the strip.

The first strip 20 also includes a third portion 27 which is substantially parallel to the second portion 24 and which has one side joined to the corresponding side of the first portion by a second longitudinal fold 29. The third portion 27 is spaced from the second portion 24 to form a groove 30 which extends outwardly between them from the fold 29. Spaced holes 32 are provided through the second and third portions and tie wires 33 pass through them to secure the first strip to the first section of lathing 10.

A flange 35 extends from the second side of the first portion 21 and it is provided with an up-turned portion 36 which serves to key the strip 20 to the plaster section 37, although, as explained below in connection with the second and third embodiments, the portion 36 is not essential to this invention.

The second strip 40 comprises a first substantilly flat portion 41 having a first side which is closer to the plane of the lathing and a second side which is further away from the plane of the lathing.

The connecting member 46 is joined to one side of the first portion 41. In this embodiment, the means for joining the connecting member to the portion 41 comprises the portion 48 which has one side joined to the adjacent side of the portion 41 by the fold 45 and the other side joined to the connecting member by the longitudinal told 51.

The second strip 40 is provided with spaced holes 52 and the tie wires 53 secure it to the panel of lathing 11. The second strip 40 is also provided with a flange 55 which has an upwardly projecting portion 56 for keying it to the plaster section 57.

It will be noted that there is a gap 60 between the sides of the panels of lathing and a gap 61 between the first portions 21 and 41 of the strips 20 and 40.

The size of the gap 61 may be adjusted over relatively wide limits when the strips 20 and 40 are attached to the panels of lathing since the connecting member 46 is slidable in the groove 30. It will be noted that the length of the connecting member 46 which projects laterally from the member 41 is such that its free side or end (which terminates in the plane of the connecting member) will contact the tie wires 33 before it reaches the bottom of the groove 30, thereby to prevent the portions 21 and 41 from abutting each other which would close the gap or space 61. Accordingly, when the expansion joint has been erected, the gap 61 always extends unobstructed from the connecting member to the atmosphere.

It will also be noted that the third portion 27 engages the adjacent surface of the connecting member 46 thereby to maintain the integrity of the weather shield.

When the plaster sections 37 and 57 expand due to elevation of the temperature, the strips 20 and 40 move towards each other, the connecting member 46 sliding further into the groove 30. Conversely when the plaster sections contract the strips 20 and 40 move away from each other and the connecting member 46 slides outwardly in the groove. Such movements prevent cracking of the plaster sections.

The construction shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is equally useful in exterior walls, exterior ceilings and interior walls.

The embodiment of expansion joint shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is like the first embodiment except that the plaster keying flanges 36 and 56 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are omitted in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, the exterior wall is formed by cement blocks 71, 72, 73 and 74 and mortar 75.

As illustrated, the joint strips 20A and 40A are secured to the blocks 72 and 73 by nails 78 and 79 and the stucco sections 37A and 57A are applied to the cement blocks and exposed surfaces of the joint strips. The nails which extend through the holes in the portions 24A and 27 form stops for the free side of the connecting member 46 to prevent complete closing of the space between the portions 21A and 41A and in this respect they perform the same function as the tie wires 33 in FIG. 2.

The operation of the joint shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is the same as that of the joint shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 inclusive when the plaster sections expand and contract. The expansion joint of FIG. 5 may also be applied to a wall consisting of a single slab of concrete.

The expansion joint shown in FIG. 5 also may be applied to exterior walls in which panels of metal lath are placed upon the outer faces of the portions 24A and 48A and then upon the faces of the blocks 72 and 73 respectively. With such a construction the metal lath is nailed to the cement blocks by nails spaced laterally from the nails 78 and 79.

Similarly the sides of the panels of metal lath may be located between the rear faces of the portions 27 and 46 and the faces of the blocks 72 and 73 respectively. In this case the nails 78 and 79 pass through holes in the sections of lath.

The embodiment of expansion joint shown in FIG. 5 also may be applied to panels of metal lath in the type of construction shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which case the tie wires 33 and 53 are used instead of nails.

In the embodiment of expansion joint shown in FIG. 6, the first strip 20B is like the strip 20 of FIGS. 4 and 5 except that the flange 35B extends at an obtuse angle from the element 21B. In the second strip 40B, the connecting member 46B is joined to the member 41B by the longitudinal fold 80 so that the portion 48A of the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 is omitted. In this case,

the strip 40B is attached to a section of lathing by laterally spaced tie wires 82 which pass through holes located at spaced intervals near the fold 80. The strips 20B may be attached to a section of lathing by tie wires 33 as in FIG. 2.

Pursuant to this invention, the connecting member is substantially rigid so it will slide readily in the groove 30 and will be frictionally engaged by portions of the elements 24 and 27 thereby to improve the weather shield. The members 24 and 27 preferably are also substantially flat to provide both the sliding fit for the projecting member and also the desired frictional engagement to prevent moisture from entering the interior of the wall or ceiling.

While the portions 21 and 41 are shown as flat in FIGS. 1 to 5, this is not essential to the functioning of the joint, for example they may be concave or convex or they may contain outwardly diverging portions such as 35B and 55B in FIG. 6.

The flanges 35-55 (FIG. 2), 35A-55A (FIG. 5), and 35B-55B (FIG. 6) form the finish line for the exposed surfaces of the plaster sections 37-57 and 37A-57A which are applied to the included angles between the flanges and the portions 21-41, 21A-41A and 21B-41B, respectively.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that a building construction and an expansion joint therefor which embodies this invention accomplish the objects stated above and solve the long felt want in the very old art of building construction for an exterior wall in which the plaster does not crack from movement during variations of temperature encountered in use.

It should be understood that the specific embodiments of this invention which are disclosed herein are of a descriptive rather than a limiting nature and that various changes, combinations, substitutions, additions and modifications may be effected in accordance with these teachings without departing in spirit or scope from the invention in its broader aspects.

I claim:

1. In a building construction comprising an expansion joint which includes first and second generally parallel elongated integral strips of sheet material located between and separating a pair of planar sections of plaster, coplanar supporting members and means for attaching said strips to said supporting members, said first strip comprising a first portion having a first side closer to the plane of said supporting members and a second side further away from the plane of said supporting members and located substantially in the plane of the exposed surfaces of said sections of plaster, a second portion positioned in a plane which is generally parallel to the plane of the supporting members and having a first side joined to said first side of said first portion by a longitudinal fold which extends the length of the strip, and a third portion positioned generally parallel to said second portion and to the plane of the supporting members and having a first side joined to the side of said second portion which is opposite to its said first side by a second longitudinal fold extending along the length of the strip, said third portion being spaced from said second portion to form a groove extending between them from said second fold, said second strip comprising a first portion having a first side closer to the plane of said supporting members and a second side further away fromthe plane of said supporting members and located substantially in the plane of the exposed surfaces of said sections of plaster, said second strip also comprising a substantially flat and substantially rigid connecting member which is of the thickness of said sheet material, positioned in a plane which is generally parallel to the plane of said supporting members and having its free side portion terminating in the plane of said connecting member, means for joining the other side of said connecting member to the first side of said first portion of said second strip, the free side portion of said connecting member being slidably positioned in said groove, said means for attaching said strips to said supporting members extending between said third portion of said first stripand a supporting member and between said connecting member of said second strip and a supporting member to provide a space between the adjacent surfaces of said first portion of said first strip and said first portion of said second strip which is substantially unobstructed from the connecting member to the atmosphere, and the edges of said sections of plaster engaging the opposite surfaces of said first portions of said strips.

2. A building construction according to claim 1 wherein said means for joining said other side of said connecting member to said first side of said first portion of said second strip comprises a longitudinal fold which extends along the length of said second strip.

3. A building construction according to claim 1 wherein said means for joining said other side of said connecting member to said first side of said first portion of said second strip comprises a second portion of said second strip positioned in a plane which is generally parallel to the plane of the supporting members and having one side joined to said first side of said first portion of said second strip by a first longitudinal fold extending along the length of said second strip and its other side joined to said other side of said connecting member by a second longitudinal fold extending along the length of said second strip.

4. A building construction according to claim 1 wherein said means for attaching said strips to said supporting members comprises first attaching means which passes through transverse passage in said third portion of said first strip and second attaching means which pass through transverse passages in said connecting member.

5. A building construction according to claim 1 wherein said second sides of said first portions of said first and sec-ond strips comprise flanges which form the finish line for the exposed surfaces of said sections of plaster, the sides of said sections of plaster being applied to the included angles between said flanges and said first portions of said first and second strips.

6. An expansion joint for use between plaster sections in walls and ceilings of buildings to prevent cracking when the sections expand and contract due to changes in temperature, said joint comprising first and second generally parallel elongated integral strips of sheet material, the first strip comprising a first portion, a second portion having one side joined to one side of said first portion by a first longitudinal fold which extends along the length of the strip, a third portion which is substantially flat and positioned generally parallel to said second portion and having one side joined to the side of said second portion opposite to its said one side by a second longitudinal fold extending along the length of the strip, said third portion being spaced from said second portion to form a groove between them extending from said second fold, said second strip comprising a first portion spaced from said first portion of said-first strip and a substantially flat and substantially rigid connecting member which is of the thickness of said sheet material, is positioned in a plane which is substantially parallel to the plane of said third portion of said first strip, and has its free side portion terminating in the plane of said connecting member, means for joining said connecting member to one side of said first portion of said second strip, said connecting member having at least its free side portion slidably positioned in said groove whereby the first portion of the first strip and the first portion of the second strip are movable towards and away from each other, and a line of spaced transverse passages extending through said second and third portions of said first strip adjacent to said second fold adapted to receive means for attaching said first strip to a supporting member, the space between said first portion of said first strip and said first portion of said second strip extending unobstructed from said connecting member to the atmosphere.

7. An expansion joint according to claim 6 wherein the length of the part of the connecting member which extends between the plane of said first portion of said second strip and the free side portion of the connecting member is greater than the distance from the plane of said first portion of said first strip and said line of spaced passages whereby with attaching means extending through said transverse passages, said free side portion of the connecting member engages said attaching means to prevent said first portion of said first strip and said first portion of said second strip from being moved into abutting relationship thereby to prevent closing the space between said first portions of said first and second strips.

8. An expansion joint according to claim 6 wherein said means for joining said connecting member to said one side of said first portion of said second strip comprises a longitudinal fold which extends along the length of said second strip.

9. An expansion joint according to claim 6 wherein said means for joining said connecting member to said one side of said first portion of said sec-ond strip comprises a second portion of said second strip positioned generally parallel to said connecting member and having one side joined to said one side of said first portion of said second strip by a first longitudinal fold extending along the length of the second strip and its other side joined to said one side of the connecting member by a second longitudinal fold extending along the length of said strip.

10. An expansion joint according to claim 6 wherein the sides of said first portions of said first and second strips opposite said one sides comprise flanges which are adapted to form the finish line for the exposed surfaces of plaster sections applied to the included angles between the flanges and said first portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,114,048 4/1938 Davis 52601 X 2,142,305 1/1939 Davis 52601 X 2,144,814 1/1939 Robertson 9418 2,904,992 9/1959 Cruser 52573 X 3,015,194 1/1962 Clark 52-571 X FOREIGN PATENTS 237,627 2/ 1962 Australia. 585,279 10/ 1959 Canada.

OTHER REFERENCES The California Plasterer, Th 8120.C2, January 1965, page 3.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. A. C. PERHAM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A BUILDING CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING AN EXPANSION JOINT WHICH INCLUDES FIRST AND SECOND GENERALLY PARALLEL ELONGATED INTEGRAL STRIPS OF SHEET MATERIAL LOCATED BETWEEN AND SEPARATING A PAIR OF PLANAR SECTIONS OF PLASTER, COPLANAR SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID STRIPS TO SAID SUPPORTING MEMEBRS, SAID FIRST STRIP COMPRISING A FIRST PORTION HAVING A FIRST SIDE CLOSER TO THE PLANE OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND A SECOND SIDE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE PLANE OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF THE EXPOSED SURFACES OF SAID SECTIONS OF PLASTER, A SECOND PORTION POSITIONED IN A PLANE WHICH IS GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF THE SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND HAVING A FIRST SIDE JOINED TO SAID FIRST SIDE OF SAID FIRST PORTION BY A LONGITUDINAL FOLD WHICH EXTENDS THE LENGTH OF THE STRIP, AND A THIRD PORTION POSITIONED GENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID SECOND PORTION AND TO THE PLANE OF THE SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND HAVING A FIRST SIDE JOINED TO THE SIDE OF SAID SECOND PORTION WHICH IS OPPOSITE TO ITS SAID FIRST SIDE BY A SECOND LONGITUDINAL FOLD EXTENDING ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE STRIP, SAID THIRD PORTION BEING SPACED FROM SAID SECOND PORTION TO FORM A GROOVE EXTENDING BETWEEN THEM FROM SAID SECOND FOLD, SAID SECOND STRIP COMPRISING A FIRST PORTION HAVING A FIRST SIDE CLOSER TO THE PLANE OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND A SECOND SIDE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE PLANE OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF THE EXPOSED SURFACES OF SAID SECTIONS OF PLASTER, SAID SECOND STRIP ALSO COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AND SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID CONNECTING MEMBER WHICH IS OF THE THICKNESS OF SAID SHEET MATERIAL, POSITIONED IN A PLANE WHICH IS GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND HAVING ITS FREE SIDE PORTION TERMINATING IN THE PLANE OF SAID CONNECTING MEMBER, MEANS FOR JOINING THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID CONNECTING MEMBER TO THE FIRST SIDE OF SAID FIRST PORTION OF SAID SECOND STRIP, THE FREE SIDE PORTION OF SAID CONNECTING MEMBER BEING SLIDABLY POSITIONED IN SAID GROOVE, SAID MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID STRIPS TO SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID THIRD PORTION OF SAID FIRST STRIP AND A SUPPORTING MEMBER AND BETWEEN SAID CONNECTING MEMBER OF SAID SECOND STRIP AND A SUPPORTING MEMBER TO PROVIDE A SPACE BETWEEN THE ADJACENT SURFACES OF SAID FIRST PORTION OF SAID FIRST STRIP AND FIRST PORTION OF SAID SECOND STRIP WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY UNOBSTRUCTED FROM THE CONNECTING MEMBER TO THE ATMOSPHERE, AND THE EDGES OF SAID SECTIONS OF PLASTER ENGAGING THE OPPOSITE SURFACES OF SAID FIRST PORTIONS OF SAID STRIPS. 